The present invention relates to heat and power engineering and, more particularly, to a method and an apparatus for heating of fluids.
There is known a method and apparatus for heat generation in the fluid, based on conversion of the kinetic energy of the flowing fluid into heat, as disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,090 to Griggs.
This apparatus consists of an arrangement for forming a high-speed fluid jet and moderation thereof. The process of moderation is adapted for conversion of the jet kinetic energy into the heat energy accompanied by the fluid temperature increase.
Drawbacks of such known method and apparatus reside in the low values of the conversion of the energy delivered to a pump drive into the thermal energy of the fluid. In view of the pure mechanical nature of the used conversion principles, these values are not very high. The principles of this project are indifferent to physicochemical properties of the fluid used.
Another example of a method for generating energy is described in Russian Patent No. 2,054,604 issued Feb. 20, 1996. This method is based on the exposure of a fluid to the action of a combination of constant and alternating pressures, in certain ratios, leading to formation of cavitation bubbles in the fluid. Upon bursting, these bubbles convert their internal energy into the thermal energy of the fluid.
An apparatus for carrying out this method employs an ultrasonically-induced cavitator to exert alternating pressure.
These method and apparatus are similar to the above discussed and are applicable with different working fluids. It has been shown experimentally that the amount of the liberated thermal energy exceeds that of the initial energy delivered. This is explained by the fact that the heat energy release in the fluid depends on the course of nuclear reactions.
As a consequence, in accordance with the disclosure of this patent, the heat generation is accompanied by the ionizing radiation, specifically the neutron radiation, which significantly exceeds in quantity the level of natural radiation. Therefore, use of such method and apparatus is not environmentally safe. Moreover, the use of cavitation should often result in the destruction of the used apparatus.
There is also known a method of heat generation in the fluid disclosed by Russian Patent No. 2,061,195 issued May 27, 1996. This method is also based on the use of cavitation and is directed to increase the intensity of cavitation by forming a gas cushion in a fluid. Such cushion cavitates in a closed-loop system and by varying the volume of the gas cushion and varying fluid flow rate until self-excited conditions are established. An apparatus for carrying out this method comprises a hydraulic closed-loop system with an expanding container, a piston movable within the container, a centrifugal cavitator and a heat exchanger for supplying heat to a customer.
Important advantages of these method and apparatus are in the fact that the increase in heat generation results from improving intensity of the cavitation processes and is accompanied by the reduction of negative consequences of the cavitation on the operational life span of the structural elements of the apparatus. This is due to the fact that gas bubbles or cavities are formed mostly inside the fluid.
In view of the common physical principles utilized by Russian Patent No. 2,061,195 and the foregoing technical solutions, a possibility exists for creation of a system with high efficiency conversion of the delivered energy into a thermal energy of the fluid. However, in view of the above discussed common principles, the method and apparatus disclosed by Russian Patent No. 2,061,195 suffer from a substantial drawback. That is, environmental safety of its operation cannot be assured.
Furthermore, there is known a method described in the International application PCT WO 90/00526 (1990) consisting of formation of oppositely directed vortex streams of deionized water and causing such streams to collide at a high rate of flow. As indicated by the disclosure of this International application, the disagglomeration of water (which is the main object of the method), is accompanied by heating of water. Such heating is additional to the heat generation achieved as a result of conversion of the kinetic energy of flowing water.
An apparatus for carrying out the method disclosed in this PCT application consists of a colloidal mill containing a tank with oppositely positioned vortex nozzles included in a closed-loop system. The apparatus also contains a pumping arrangement and a heat exchanger for absorption of heat liberated in the fluid.
In the method and apparatus disclosed by PCT WO 90/00526, it is essential to use the unique properties of water causing energy release as a consequence of the breaking of hydrogen bonds. The necessity of employing the water as a working fluid restricts the scope of possible applications of such method and apparatus for the purposes of heat generation. Moreover, it is indicated in the disclosure of the International application PCT WO 90/00526 that, the heat energy generation is accompanied by the release of electrical energy. Since the latter takes place, apparently, through electromagnetic radiation, the environmental safety of these technical solutions is also questionable.
All technical solutions discussed hereinabove suffer from a common drawback residing in the fact that heat generation is associated with a preliminary conversion of the delivered energy into the kinetic energy of the fluid (see for example PCT application WO 90/00526). This leads to a considerable complexity of delivery of a heat-transfer fluid from a place of acquiring energy to a consumer.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus for heat generation.
A further object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus for heat generation which are environmentally safe.
It is also an object of the invention to minimize the preliminary conversion of the delivered energy into the kinetic energy of the working fluid.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus capable of expanding the wide range of the used fluids.
In the method and apparatus of the present invention, a polar liquid is used as the working fluid. The polar working fluid is irradiated by a pulsed light radiation in a zone of contact or engagement between the working fluid and a light-reflecting screen or surface situated within the fluid. The screen or surface is made of a material wettable by the working fluid or formed with a coating made of such material.
Such combination of properties of the screen and the working fluid assures presence of immobile or slow-moving molecules in the vicinity of the screen. The light-reflecting properties of the screen enhance usage of the light radiation energy for separation of the immobile or slow moving molecules from the surface of the screen. The slow-moving molecules separated from the screen surface receive energy liberated in the formation of molecular clusters. Development of such clusters, in cases of spontaneous collisions of the molecules of the working fluid having greater mobility (or formations originated earlier) is caused by the polar properties attributable to the working fluid.
To increase the intensity of heat generation the working fluid can be irradiated by the pulsed light radiation generated by an extended source of such radiation.
In order to increase the total volume of the working fluid to be heated and also to enhance the usage of the generated heat, a part of the heated working fluid is removed from a zone of action by the pulsed light radiation, cooled and then returned back into this zone.
An apparatus for heat generation of the present invention, comprises a vessel or container with means assuring results of the pulsed optical radiation on the working fluid. To achieve the above-mentioned technical results in the apparatus of the present invention, the container or vessel is filled with a polar working fluid. A light-reflecting screen or surface made of a material wettable by the working fluid or having a coating of this material is positioned within the polar working fluid. A source of pulsed optical radiation is provided to irradiate the working fluid in the zone of it""s contact with the surface of the light-reflecting screen located in the fluid.
As a result of the pulsed light radiation, the apparatus of the invention is not only capable of separation of the immobile molecules of the working fluid from the surface of the light-reflecting screen, but it can also replenish mobile molecules of the working fluid.
To achieve simultaneous irradiation of a large volume of the working fluid, the source of pulsed light radiation can be extended through the working chamber.
In order to improve intensity of action on the working fluid, the light-reflecting screen or surface situated within the fluid can be formed as a wall of the working chamber embracing the extended source of pulsed light radiation. The working chamber communicates with part of the system situated outside of the vessel or container. This enables the invention to replace the working fluid situated in the space between the source of pulsed optical radiation, and the light-reflecting screen by the fluid from the space external to the light-reflecting screen.
The apparatus for heat generation of the invention comprises a vessel having a working chamber formed with an interior thereof. A flow of working polar fluid passes through the working chamber. A source of pulsed light is provided within the working chamber. A light-reflecting surface or arrangement is wettable by the working fluids. A thermal energy is released into the working polar fluid by pulsed light irradiation of the working fluid in the vicinity of the light-reflecting surface or arrangement. The released thermal energy is continuously removed from the working chamber by the flow of working fluid. The light reflecting arrangement may include a layer of light-reflecting material semi-transparent to the pulsed light. The layer is situated at an exterior of the source of pulsed light and the light-reflecting surface is spaced from the source.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the working polar fluid is directed tangentially to an inner surface of the working chamber, so as to, provide a circular motion of the working polar fluid within the interior thereof.
In another embodiment of the invention, the light-reflecting arrangement consists of a base and a plurality of blade-shaped members extending outwardly therefrom. The base and blade-shaped members are independently rotated so as to provide a circular motion of the working polar fluid within the working chamber.